13 July 2016
Start: Congdon Shelter
Destination: Porcupine Lookout
Trail Miles: 8.7
Total Trail Miles: 280.5
State: VT
I planned on hiking 13 miles today, but had to cut them a little short, due to insanely difficult hiking today as well as the fact I had to hitch into town for some supplies. I wasn't expecting the time off trail and couldn't make them all up before dark. So, I stopped at a campsite with a view. This is the first time I'm actually sleeping somewhere I might see a sunrise.
There is one other person here. His name is Grumpster. He's here for one month. He teaches in China. He built a fire to which I was so eternally grateful, I made him a coffee. He's pretty far away from my tent, which is nice if he snores, but not so nice if something tries to eat me. He sleeps in a hammock. I think I might feel a little better if I were above the ground. All these fanaticised stories about bears attacking people in their tents have me mess quite skittish. But it's good! Growing every minute I'm out here.
This morning the whole camp woke to find some surprises in their food bags. And while my good buddy Cheap and Easy got our bear bags down (I shared my beer with him...he hung my bear bag with his...this is how it works on the trail. We are all paying it forward), and one of his (not the Zpacks one) was eaten to bits...another hiker came over and offered him snacks from his own bag. His name is Pinky. He is a very quiet but genuinely great guy that hikes in a kilt. Love it.
Lots of mud here in beautiful Vermont. Apparently, you just get used to it. I think I can manage that as long as they keep putting those handy little wooden foot bridges down.
And then I saw this:
The unreadable part says there is no more trail maintenance, fewer blazes, no bridges and no fallen trees cut away from the trail. All in the name of wilderness. Ok...bye bye handy foot bridges.
This camp is perfect. I will try to see the sunrise in the morning!
Happy Trails
Punky Shire
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